Ahimsa

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈhɪmsɑː/

Definitions

1. The principle of non-violence and non-harm toward all living beings, emphasizing compassion and the avoidance of injury in thought, speech, and action
2. The practice of refraining from causing harm or injury to any living creature through intentional thought, word, or deed
3. A spiritual and ethical doctrine centered on avoiding violence and cultivating compassion toward all sentient life forms

Etymology: Ahimsa is a Sanskrit term that entered English in the 19th century as Western scholars and thinkers began serious engagement with Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The word comes from Sanskrit "ahimsa," composed of the prefix "a-" (meaning "non-" or "without") and "himsa" (meaning "harm," "injury," or "violence"). The root "himsa" itself derives from the Sanskrit verb "han," meaning "to strike" or "to kill," which is cognate with Proto-Indo-European roots also found in English words like "gun" and "gunnery" — though the Sanskrit development followed its own path through the classical Indian language family. In Sanskrit philosophical and religious texts, particularly the Upanishads, the Mahabharata, and Buddhist sutras, ahimsa emerged as a cardinal ethical principle, especially within Jainism and later Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The concept denotes a commitment to non-violence and the avoidance of harm to all living beings, rooted in the belief that all sentient creatures possess a soul or spiritual essence. This principle became increasingly central to Jain ethics and monastic practice, where it was observed with extraordinary rigor — Jain monks famously swept the ground before them to avoid stepping on insects. English-language adoption of ahimsa accelerated significantly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly through the influence of Mahatma Gandhi, who made the principle foundational to his philosophy of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience. Gandhi's writings and activism brought ahimsa to international prominence during India's independence movement, and the term became established in English as the standard word for this specific ethical doctrine. Since then, it has been used in English both as a direct reference to the Hindu and Buddhist concept and, more broadly, to describe any commitment to non-violence rooted in spiritual or ethical conviction. The word remains largely untranslated in English texts because no single English word captures its full philosophical weight and cultural context.

Synonyms: nonviolence, pacifism, peacefulness, harmlessness, non-injury

Antonyms: violence, aggression, harm, hostility, belligerence